Adding a second battery....

Bighurt

Well-known member
Has anyone modified or added a larger battery box, I'm considering adding a second battery to extend boondock time. Right now a another battery is a cheaper option than a generator. This first year much of our camp time will be weekend duty. As such microwave and A/C will just have to be unused option on some of the remote lakes...

Thanks in advance.
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
How about a couple of 15 watt solar panels for around $80 each? They will give you as much additional energy as the second battery. We do have two batteries but it was due to the available space already provided by the factory. Northern tool has the panel on sale right now.
 

ct0218

Well-known member
When my 12V OEM battery went out after 2 years I replaced it with 2 6V golf cart batteries. I had plenty of room, but did not use the battery boxes. I also installed a watering system. With 2 batteries it is a lot more difficult to check the water level.
 

Bighurt

Well-known member
When my 12V OEM battery went out after 2 years I replaced it with 2 6V golf cart batteries. I had plenty of room, but did not use the battery boxes. I also installed a watering system. With 2 batteries it is a lot more difficult to check the water level.

I'm actually trying to get away from the multitude of batteries in my little fleet. The Chevy uses 1 the Ford uses 2 the Trailer uses 1 the M35 uses 2 and the M818 uses 4 all 12 volt batteries, only the M series use the same battery but they are 24 volt. What would make the most sense to me would be to modify the Sundance to use Deep cycle 6TL batteries off the M series truck. Seeing as I have 2 already and I'm working on a need for an additional 4 it makes the most sense to have 4 on the trickle charger, utilizing them for the toy I happen to need that day.

Now life expectancy for each of the batteries is all over the place. The Sundance can drain the battery in 2 days, how many charges will it last (don't know yet). The 6TL is only expected to last 5 years. The Chevy's Diehard has been replaced annual (thankful for the 100month warrantee), and the Ford is only 2 yrs old.

On top of that the R6 and the wife's minivan each have a battery, the van's cheap but the Yamaha needs a spendy battery.

So many batteries no simile solution.

Anyone know the charging rate during TV connection?
 

Rickhansen

Well-known member
Bighurt,
I have two red top Optima, Group 27, 12V Deep Cycle batteries wired in parallel in our 3670. Optimas are pricey, but got an employee discount that made it an attractive selection. Also, Optimas are sealed Glass Mat style batteries that do no need venting or watering. They fit in the battery boxes I had already.

If you are going to parallel two 12V batteries, versus series two 6V batteries, it's important that they be as closely matched in capacity and age as possible, otherwise one can become a load on the other and reduce capacity and lifespan.
 

Bighurt

Well-known member
Bighurt,
I have two red top Optima, Group 27, 12V Deep Cycle batteries wired in parallel in our 3670. Optimas are pricey, but got an employee discount that made it an attractive selection. Also, Optimas are sealed Glass Mat style batteries that do no need venting or watering. They fit in the battery boxes I had already.

If you are going to parallel two 12V batteries, versus series two 6V batteries, it's important that they be as closely matched in capacity and age as possible, otherwise one can become a load on the other and reduce capacity and lifespan.

Yes I know they need to be equally matched in type and age.

They also make an adapter for the Optima's to fit in the 6TL box, again cost is an issue and I would prefer not having to have and continue buying so many batteries. Another factor is storing them come winter... I've considered moding the trucks to have a trickle charger/monitor for the batteries and I could do the same for the Sundance but that again adds to costs. That and I'd need two for the M series as they use two banks of batteries tied in series to create 24 volts, just so happens the M35 's banks consist of one battery each.

Curious why you went Red top vs Blue top? or even Yellow top?
 

Rickhansen

Well-known member
Curious why you went Red top vs Blue top? or even Yellow top?

As I understand it, the batteries are the same except the terminals. Red Tops have both side and top posts.

the biggest reason was that I couldn't remember what cables and connectors I had when I emailed my order to the factory from work. :eek:
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Love your list of "toys".....especially the M35A2. That has too be an awesome project vehicle!

Travel Safe!
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
When my 12V OEM battery went out after 2 years I replaced it with 2 6V golf cart batteries. I had plenty of room, but did not use the battery boxes. I also installed a watering system. With 2 batteries it is a lot more difficult to check the water level.


We have gone to using sealed batteries in almost everything. I just done like to check all the batteries and we have a few to many. They seem to hold up just as well as the others and have about the same life span unless you let them freeze.
 
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